Those were the years
by Zarrian
Summary: The story of Benny, Maureen, Mark, and Collins through out school, Kindergarten to Senior year. The story of how they met, and foreshadowings they should have seen in their younger years. Rating may change later.
1. Kindergarten

**Author's note: Hey guys!! I wanted to do this story; it's only going to be 13 chapters long, describing how all the Rent peoples went through school. If you don't agree on how stuff happens, please tell me, especially if it is in correct. Don't worry, I can still update my other stories, I just was DIEING TO WRITE THIS!!!! All the times will be different, because it works better. So ha. **

**Bye,**

**Shi**

Mark looked at the Kindergarten in longing. He was dressed bad, but did that matter? He didn't have much money. Mark didn't realize that this was his first lesson in populars; if you dress crappy, you are crappy. His mom had persuaded him to bring the only toy he had, his big blue ball. He bounced it on the ground to entertain him self. He smiled at the sound it made when it hit the ground. _Boing! Boing!_ It hit the ground, continuing to make this sound… until it hit his foot. It rolled off, and unfortunately hit the worst person possible's foot. Billy Fancman.

"Hmm… Nice ball, Cohen! Where'd you get it? Did it just fall off your dog one day? Does your dog only have one ball?"

All the kids around them laughed. Mark wondered about why some one their age would make that crude of a joke, but then he realized that Billy was probably several years older than the rest of the Kindergartners. Billy's 'thug' laughuped (laughed/ hiccupped) and said, "Haha, he has a balless dog, hahaha…it has one ball!" Billy turned around and punched him.

"Knock it off!" Billy said looking at his falling friend with flaring nostrils and a puff out lip. "Time to deal with Cohen." He said, turning around and smiling. "Matt, this is a nice ball and all but-,"

"It isn't Matt, it's Mark." Mark said meekly with his pre pubescent voice. "Did you interrupt me?" Billy said curling his fist and gesturing it violently at Mark.

"No."

"Sorry, I didn't hear you…" Billy said, enjoying the power trip.

"No." Mark said, a little louder.

Billy smiled. "Good. This awfully is a nice ball, Max." The fat boy smiled as he observed the shining ball. "I wouldn't want anything to _happen_ to it. Would we?" He looked over at Mark with a devil like grin.

" No…" Mark said looking at the ground.

"It's too bad that I happen to have _this_…" The would be second grader took out a small nail, small, but sharp. He held it up to the ball and chuckled.

"No!" Mark grabbed at it, but was unable to reach it with the boy's nail holding hand acting like a restraint. "Give it to me, Billy!!" Mark said, praying that he wouldn't cry.

"I don't think I will." The large child laughed as the nail drew closer and closer. Mark looked at all the other kids. They were just watching,... laughing, until…

"Give him the ball, Billy." An unfamiliar voice came from behind Mark. Everyone involved turned to look who said it.

"I said, give him the ball." It was the new boy that Mrs. Raken had introduced that morning. He had slightly long brown hair, and fierce eyes.

Billy scoffed. "No way am I going to give it to you." He looked the boy up and down. "Skinny." He said under his breath, observing the boy.

The boy kept his cool. "I will make you give me the ball."

"Oh really." Billy scorned.

"Yes." The kid walked up to him. "If you don't give it to me, I will have to take it by force." Mark could tell the boy was smart, if anything. His last comment made the entire group scream with laughter.

"How are you going to take it?" Billy gasped through his laughter.

"Like this." The nameless boy punched Billy in the stomach. Billy huffed with pain and doubled his fat belly over. Visible tears fell down his face. The boy took Mark's ball from Billy, bending down to Billy's level, and said, "Thank you," with a smile. The mystery boy gave Mark the ball, and then walked inside the classroom. Mark looked down at the ball, and then ran after him.

"Thank you." Mark said, jogging after the boy. "What's your name?"

The boy looked at him and smiled. "My name is Roger. Yours?" "Mark." Roger smiled at Mark. "Well, Mark, do you want to play Legos with me?"

"That seems fun." Mark and Roger sat down and began planning out a huge robot man. This was the beginning of a beautiful friend ship.

**TBC If you think I should continue, review and tell me. Thanks, Shiloh**


	2. First Grade

Roger sat lone on the bench in the playground, lightly taping his foot as he waited for Mark. If Mark wasn't there that day, there was going to be some explaining to do. Why did the stupid school system have to put them in different classes? Roger looked at the playground ahead, looking for any sign of Mark. Then he saw a plastic black thing bobbing up and down in the mass of kids. This was him.

"MARK!!!" Roger called to the kid across the playground. The black thing turned in his direction, and began running toward him. Mark finally appeared, weighed under a huge video camera. "Why do you bring that to school?" Roger sighed as Mark shuffled to set the heavy machinery on the faded green bench.

"I don't know- maybe I enjoy carrying it around." Mark replied rather sarcastically for a first grader. "I have to stop- Mrs. Henchion says that if I bring it again I'll be suspended." Mark answered curtly.

Just then, a ball flew out of nowhere- hitting Mark on the back of the head. "Ow!" A girl with long, curly hair ran up to him with her arms open, waiting for him to throw it to her. "If you are expecting me to give you your stupid football, Maureen," Mark said, bending down to pick it up, "Think again."

The girl named Maureen put her hands on her hips. "Come on Mark! Remember when Mrs. Henchion wouldn't give you a pencil after you lost yours? I gave you one, remember? I could have gotten in trouble!"

"No! That stupid ball has hit me FIVE times this week! I am sick and tired of it." Mark said, sitting down on the bench, ball in hand.

"Come on, Mark! Give it to me!" Maureen begged. Mark shook his head. "What are you going to do with it anyway? It's not like you know how to play!" Maureen spat.

"I am going to take it home, and feed it to my shark!" Mark said, showing with his hands, a shark, reaching up to bite the football.

"NO!" Maureen squealed, dodging for the ball. Mark was too fast for her, and switched it to his other hand. "I bet you don't even have a shark!"

Mark seemed appalled that someone would even doubt his lie. "Yes I do! His name is Bob!" Roger did a small giggle under his jacket sleeve. "See! Even Roger knows! Roger has seen it, right Roger?"

"Hm-hm." Roger's voice was muffled as he covered his mouth slyly.

"Roger would know! He got eaten by it once, right Rog? Then the shark didn't like him, and it spit him out. Like I do with broccoli!" Mark's tale span deeper and longer and Maureen wasn't buying it.

"Uh-huh, sure! I know that you don't have a shark! My uncle used to have one, but then they took it away, and he gots o-rested." Maureen knew that she had won. Mark when pink in the face, and Roger once again, quietly giggled from under his jacket.

"Fine! Have your stupid ball! But don't go crying to me if it just _happens_ to go missing!" Mark said as he threw the ball back to her.

"Who was that?" Roger asked when she finally left.

"Oh, that was this _stupid_ girl from Mrs. Henchion's class! Some day she is going to be needing a favor from me, and I am not going to give her it!" Mark vowed. "Oh yeah! I was wondering if I could come to your house for a sleepover or something! After all, it is Friday."

Roger looked hesitant. "We don't have people over much."

"Why not?"

"It's a long story. Not tonight, okay?" Roger said.

"Maybe next weekend then. Or you could come over to my house!" Mark suggested.

"Um… that's not such a good idea either. Maybe another time."

And with that, the bell rang.

--

**TBC**

**Sorry it took so long!! And sorry it is so short! **

**Lot's of love,**

**Shiloh**


	3. Second Grade

**Author's note: Welcome to the second grade! Enjoy!**

**Shiloh**

**DISCLAIMED: So there you go.**

"Maureen, give it back!" Mark said as he chased Maureen around in circles. Roger was immensely enjoying Mark chase Maureen around, groping for his scarf.

"Just let him have it Maureen!" Roger called to her. "He'll never get it!"

"Oh yes I will! Said Mark as he jumped for the scarf.

Roger laughed as he focused his attention to the jungle gym. He stopped. Sliding down on a pole in the jungle gym was the prettiest girl he had ever seen. Her skin was darkish, and her hair long. As she hit the ground, she smiled at some one behind her. A boy. The boy had dark skin also, and was rather skinny. His hair was rather short and so was he. _Dang_, Roger thought. _They must like each other_. He turned back to Maureen and Mark, who where still fighting over the scarf.

"Try to catch it, shark boy!" Maureen cackled as Mark jumped up to try to grab it. "You'll never see this scarf again. I am going to feed it to my uncle's shark."

"Your uncle is in prison. So is the shark. Now give me my scarf, Maureen!"

Roger laughed. How they ever became friends was beyond him. He focused his attention back on the little Mexican girl. The boy was gone. Roger wondered if he should go talk to the little girl.

What if she doesn't like me?

_She will. Go talk to her_.

What if that boy and her like each other?

_No…the boy abandoned her. Why would they like each other? _

They might have been just hanging out. Like Maureen and Mark hang out.

_That's different though. Maureen and Mark have more of a love hate relation ship._

Why did girls have to be so confusing?

"Roger!" Maureen said as she sat down next to him. "My mom is letting me have a birthday party at my house. I was wondering if you wanted to come."

"Um…I don't really-!"

"Come on! Mark is going, and a couple of other guys are going. Come on!"

"I don't know. I'll ask my mom."  
_Roger, you know how that would turn out. Just tell her no_.

"Actually, Maureen, I just remembered that my mom and I are going to the movies Saturday to see Ghostbusters…so sorry…"

"Oh, all right. Mark, you're still coming, right?" Maureen asked.

"Yeah. Oh, what if at the party we go see Ghostbusters together? Then maybe Roger could go."

"That's a great idea! Would you be able to come that way?"

"No, cus My mom and I are going to, Um… Buffalo to see it."Roger excused.

"Whya doin that?" Maureen asked. "Please? Please come?"

"No. That's final."

And with that, the bell rang.

--

_TBC_

_Sorry bout the shortness! Lot's of love!_

_Shiloh_


	4. Third grade

**Author's note: School's in. Sorry it took so long!! **

Small snowdrops fell slowly from the sky. Maureen stuck out her tongue, hoping to catch one or two. Eventually, one landed softly on her tongue and slowly evaporated, sending water dripping in to her throat. Mark and Roger sneaked up on her slowly, both holding a handful of snow. Mark counted silently on his fingers to three- one, two and-

"AH!!" Maureen screamed. Mark and Roger sniggered under their scarves, silently celebrating their victory. Maureen giggled to herself as she picked up a ball of snow, and quietly balled it up-

"Bah!" She had gotten Mark right in the face.

"Haha!" She mocked. "I got you!!! Ha, ha, ha, ha-ha! I win, I win, I- Ow!" Roger had gotten her in the back out of a surprise attack. "I'm gonna get you, Davis!" She ran after Roger, who barely escaped her treachery as the bell rang.

"Aw man!" She said hitting her knee with her hand. "I almost got you!" They all ran to the classroom, dieing to get inside to the warm heater. Roger caught out of the corner of his eye the little Mexican girl…she had ignored the bell and continued swinging around on the play set. He had learned a bit about her- one thing he knew though is that she always played on the jungle gym, swinging around on the fireman's pole. He wasn't quite sure the name of it; he did know that in the movies, the fireman always swung around on the poles to get to the fire truck. How he liked fire trucks…-RING!!! The bell rang again, telling them to go inside. He looked back once more at the girl, who smiled and waved at him. She actually looked at him… her smile was so cute…

"Come on, Davis, we have to go!" Maureen said, pulling him along. "Mrs. Trillo said that if we were late again that she would put us in the corner!"

The trio ran to class, all in an attempt to be on time.

* * *

"Alright, before the bell rings to go home, I want to pass out this paper for you to give you your parents, telling them what to bring for the Christmas party tomorrow. Be sure to give it to them, so they know what goodies to bring, alright?" The green colored paper was passed down the isle, which eventually got to Maureen, who pursed her lips and raised her hand rather snottily. Mrs. Trillo ignored her. 

"Anyway, please give these to your-!" "Ahem" "-Parents, who will pick up your-!" "AHem" "Snacks so we can have a-!" "AHEm" "Great Christ- WHAT DO YOU WANT, Mrs. Johnson?

' Mrs. Trillo said, as she looked it Maureen's direction.

Maureen smiled. "I don't like green- can I have a new one; a different color?"

Mrs. Trillo looked rather annoyed to be interrupted by such an irrelevant question, but then gave a look of, _'this_ is what I get for teaching third grade. "Maureen, doesn't everyone else have the same color than you?"

Maureen looked to both sides of her. "Yes, but-"

"Don't they have the same paper as you?"

"Yes, but I-"

"Then what are you complaining about then?" Maureen opened her mouth to argue, but just then, the bell rang, and it was time to go home.

* * *

"I hate that teacher." Maureen said as she joined the two boys who were walking down the busy streets of New York with their new companion. For six months, Roger and Mark had been walking home together, as they lived rather close. Maureen had just joined them two weeks ago, but the two boys were still getting used to it. 

"Hate is a very strong word." Mark said as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

Maureen gave him a very snootish look as they continued walking.

Eventually, Maureen branched off the group as she walked up the stairs to her house. Mark and Roger continued, soon to be split, as Roger's house was coming up.

"Hey, I wondered if I could stay at your house for a bit." Mark said as he stared at his feet. "I didn't get the whole 'two digit adding' thing that Mrs. Trillo showed us and-!"

"My mom, um, doesn't like visitors. We don't even have our grandparents over. It's just a thing of hers." Roger blabbed, trying to make up an excuse.

"Maybe you could come over to-!"

"I'm not allowed. I got grounded for not taking out the trash." Roger once more excused as they stood outside his house.

"Next week, maybe you can-!"

"I don't know. I have to go." And with out a single word, Roger ran into the house.


End file.
